Upon a Texas resident’s death, their estate goes into probate. During probate, an estate administrator performs important duties to ensure the decedent’s wishes are carried out. Due to the significance of the role, people often choose their spouse, sibling or trusted family member to perform it.
Responsibilities of estate administrators
The administrator is supposed to collect all the decedent’s assets, settle debts with creditors and disperse whatever is left to the beneficiaries and heirs. One of the benefits of appointing a representative oneself rather than let the court do it is that the decedent can leave detailed instructions on how to carry out these duties.
Estate administrators are also responsible for fulfilling tax responsibilities. This usually includes income tax returns for the decedent, from the year they died in to any other years missing. Tax returns for the estate must also be filed. If there is a business, then steps such as securing a new employer identification number and reporting income also need to be taken. To file these returns, personal information is usually required and can be collected from previous tax records. If the executor is selected in a timely manner, then the decedent can help them gather all the necessary information.
Choosing an estate administrator
Since an estate administrator performs important tasks during the estate administration phase, it is important that he or she should be a trustworthy and responsible individual. Engaging in timely estate planning can ensure the appointer and the trustee have enough time to discuss important matters and make the process go as smoothly as possible.